Scituate

photo: Leon Joosen

If I had only one word to describe Martin Casella's play, about a man who copes with the death of his lover by not getting out of bed, it would be "heartfelt". While the play strikes a few false notes and could stand to be streamlined, overall it has the cherishable feeling of something lived-through that's been tenderly delivered to us. Although most everyone who has experienced a profound loss will be able to identify with Stewart (Chad Hoeppner - a sensitive, finely modulated performance) and his need to immobilize, the play is accessible to anyone who has had to draw strength from the loving support of friends and family. Two stand-out performances in the supporting cast: Laurence Lau and Stefanie Zadravec, who bring an abundance of warmth and humor to the proceedings as married friends of Stewart's. Extra fun the night I went: Conan O'Brien, in the audience.

Also blogged by: [David]

The Dark at the Top of the Stairs

The dramaturg for The Dark at the Top of the Stairs wants to know why William Inge has been overshadowed by Miller, O'Neill, and Williams . . . well, it's not that Inge can't write, it's that his particular brand of heartland tragedy has been overshadowed by more theatric and less natural works, specifically those of Sam Shepard. The Dark at the Top of the Stairs is very much inside-the-box, and the big topics that Inge broaches--wife-beating, suicide, and late-stage depression--were perhaps the darknesses he couldn't surpass. After much dithering in the first act, we get to a strong, sturdy second act that uses Inge's awkward grace and comedy to illustrate life in 1923, insecurities and all. But then the play settles into an irresolute third act that explains everything from arm's length before dropping it all. From the actors to the directors to the playwright, The Dark at the Top of the Stairs is a play that's stuck at the bottom of the stairs, afraid to take any risks: it's a first step, but nothing more.

[Read on]

Serendib

****
Ensemble Studio Theater

Who does playwright David Zellnik think he is writing about scientific researchers studying monkeys in some far east land? Wait... it says here in the program that he actually WENT to Sri Lanka and worked among macaque researchers. Oh! Well then! Carry on! This comedy about documentary filmmakers stirring up a community of scientists and macaques was lively, smart and highly theatrical. With the scientists manipulating puppets of their macaque counterparts, the similarities between man and monkey were addressed in a very fun and unique way. Everything from the sound design, to the (Gilligan's Island-esqe) scenery, to the acting/writing/direction tended to suggest that this production deserved an official Playbill® and not the xeroxed, folded-over white paper program we received as our ticket.
Also blogged by [Aaron]

King Hedley II

photo: Carol Rosegg

I have to say it straight out: despite the obvious artistry of August Wilson's dialogue, the original 2001 Broadway production left me cold and unmoved. King Deadly I dubbed it. But what was broad in that production is now intimate and affecting for the revival at the Signature; what was stilted and false now flows like jagged, vital poetry, the kind that Wilson writes that turns monologues into theatrical arias. Could this play have receieved more care and could it have been better performed than it is here? I doubt it.

Scituate

***1/2

TBG Arts Center

(pronounced sit-you-wit -as in the sea town in Massachusetts) The stakes could not be any higher as playwright, Martin Casella, has chosen to begin Act 1, Scene 1 on the eve of the death of a man's lover. Stewart Lombardi, so distraught that he doesn't know what to do with himself, takes to his bed and will not get up. (I know this person very well.) This wonderfully acted play carefully takes you to that place where you are reminded of people you have lost in your life and allows you to muse over what that person meant to you- which can be difficult and wonderful at the same time. It also reaffirms that it's okay to be a self-indulgent mess... at least for a while. Though Scituate does invite you to believe in the supernatural, which I think somewhat betrays the realistic quality the play establishes, there is an honesty here that makes this a special night (or afternoon) at the theater.

Also blogged by: [Patrick]

Gutenberg! The Musical!

****
Actor's Playhouse

Fun! The conceit is that of a book writer and composer presenting to a house full of Broadway producers their new musical about the inventor of the printing press. The music was atrocious and the lyrics were abominable just as they should have been. The beauty of this show lied in the charm of these two passionate "non-actors" presenting with farcical archery their precious (dead) baby. The whole show had the needy salesman-like sensibility of an infomercial. Favorite line: Bud: "This cupcake is poisoned!" Doug: "I can't stop killing!". I guess you had to be there. So go.
(thanksSusan!)